Place de la woman in ancient Egypt

The place made with the woman in ancient Egypt (pre-hellénistique) can appear surprising of “modernity” if one compares it with that which it occupied in a majority of contemporary and posterior companies. Although man and woman traditionally have quite distinct prerogatives in the company, it seems that there no was insuperable barrier opposite those which wished to move away from this diagram. The Egyptian company recognizes with the woman, not her equality with the man, but his essential complementarity which is expressed in particular in the creative act. This respect is expressed clearly in morals and Egyptian theology, but it is certainly rather difficult to determine its degree of application in the daily life of the Egyptians. One is far from the company of the ancient Greece where the woman was regarded as “eternal minor”.

The woman is equalizes it of the man in front of the law

In the actual position of our knowledge, it seems that the Egyptian woman is equalizes it of the man in comparison with the law (contrary to the women gréco-Romans). Thus it can manage its own inheritance or even be with the head of a “company” (like, for example, the Nénofèr lady with the New Empire); it can also be a doctor as the Pésèshèt lady with. It can divorce, to bring a lawsuit to recover the goods of the household and to gain this lawsuit, which does not prevent it remarier, as show it the papyri araméens Elephantine.

While marrying, the Egyptian woman keeps her name, to more adds one “marries X”; that is all the more natural as the marriage seems not to result in an administrative demonstration, nor by a religious demonstration; it often embodies the will of a man and a woman of living together, which does not prevent, and it is besides often the case, the possible existence of a marriage contract to the material plan. As Christiane Desroches Noblecourt underlines it: the marriage and possibly the divorce are events only sanctioned in the family atmosphere by the only will of the husbands, without any intervention of the Administration ; the engaged couples pronounce the sentences: “I made you my wife”, “you made me your wife”.

The man must guarantee the wellbeing of his wife, including on the material plan. The Ani scribe (with the New Empire) advises the engaged couple thus: If you are wise, guard your house, loves your wife without mixture suitably, nourished it, equips it well. Cherish and filled it its desires. Would not be brutal, you will obtain much more it by the regards that by violence. If you push back it, your household goes to vau-l' water. Open to him your arms, calls it; testify to him your amour. Of course the things are not held always in an idyllic way and the divorce exists; it intervenes on the initiative of one or other husband; if the initiative emanates from the husband, it will have to yield part of the goods to his wife; if it is the woman who takes the initiative, it is held with the same obligation but to a lesser extent; the recourse to the court is possible in the event of dispute between husband, although the Administration by no means intervened in the marriage certificate.

The great anthem with Isis ( Papyri d' Oxyrhynque , II E) translated this equality of the woman and the man, addressing to the goddess “honor of the female sex”: “it is you the mistress of the ground you made the capacity of the women equal to that of the men! ”.

Let us leave again the word to Christiane Desroches Noblecourt: the Egyptian woman, the mother whom one respects above all, the woman prone to a strict moral law, but equipped with a great freedom of expression - its whole legal capacity, its astonishing financial independence, impact of its personality in the family life and the management of the community properties and of its goods propres.

The insistence of the Egyptian moralists to recall the man to his duties towards the woman lets suppose that it was not rare in practice that the man misuses his position.

Women play an official part of very first plan

Rare are ancient civilizations where the woman could reach important social stations. In ancient Egypt, not only the examples of women high-civils servant are not so rare, but more astonishing still (for the time), one finds women with the supreme function, that of Pharaon. More than one feminism, it is necessary to see surely there a mark of the importance of the Théocratie in the Egyptian company.

The Egyptian company of antiquity, like much of other civilizations of the time, makes use of the religion like benchmark. It is in this manner that the place with the throne of the Pharaons was justified who, as a oint of the gods, had on the throne a divine right. Generally, in the ancient companies the transfer of power to the male was practiced. The son inherited the capacity, and if the king did not have any, the throne returned then to male members of the family more moved away, such as cousins or uncles. But even if the monarch had girls, those could not reach the capacity.

In Egyptian civilization, this obligation of the capacity to the male was not rigor; royal blood, factor of a divine legitimacy was to be the single criterion with the access to the throne. However, it should be noted that the divine gasoline was transmitted to the royal wife, as it was the case of Néfertiti, wife of Akhénaton.

Thus, the Egyptians preferred being rather controlled by a woman of royal blood (thus divine according to mythology) than by a man who would not be it. Thus, at the time of the crises of succession, it happened that women seize the power. To announce that in similar case, the pharaonne took all the male symbols. At such point, which there exist doubts about the sex of certain Pharaons who could in fact being of the women.

With, when Amenhotep {{Ier}} dies, its successor Thoutmôsis {{Ier}} is only the son of a secondary wife of the late Pharaon; its marriage with Ahmosé, sister of Amenhotep, enables him to be legitimated divinement. The following succession, the princess Hatchepsout, girl of Thoutmôsis 1st and his Large royal wife, allows Thoutmôsis {{II}}, wire of a secondary wife and thus half-brother of the princess, to go up on the throne by marrying it.

It was not rare to see in ancient Egypt of the women taking the throne, like made Hatchepsout, which replaced its nephew Thoutmosis {{III}}, or the Cléopâtre, of which most famous Cléopâtre {{VII}} (- 69 to -30), celebrates for its beauty and its loves with César then Antoine, the chiefs on which its throne depended then.

Among the women Pharaons more some and most known one can quote:

Nitokris (),
Néférousébek (),
Hatchepsout (),
Ânkhetkhépérourê,
Taousert ().

It is also necessary to have for the spirit the role considerable, including policy and diplomatic, several Large royal wives:

Tiyi near Amenhotep {{III}},
Néfertiti at Amenhotep V (Akhénaton),
Nofrétari near Ramsès {{II}}.

Moreover with the New Empire, the Large wife is often invested of a divine role: “Wife of the god”, “Hand of the god”; Hatchepsout is the first Large wife (that of Thoutmôsis) to receive this last title.

For the women high-civils servant, one can quote Nébet, a vizier of. It should however be recognized that a woman on such a level of responsibilities will remain extremely rare and it will be necessary to wait to find similar situation; but the women occupy on the other hand of many stations of scribe in the Administration, except with the Nouvel Empire where all the “public office” is held by men.

One will quote finally the divine adoratrices of the god Amon, equipped with a major spiritual power but also with a temporal power with Thèbes.

Admittedly, the Egyptian literature does not hesitate to introduce the woman like frivolous, capricious, not very reliable (cf will infra ). But despite everything, the Egyptian women profit from a situation which one finds only in few companies.

The woman in the literature

If the painters and the sculptors give of the woman a serene image within the framework of an opened out family, the writers are not tender and they reveal the woman as being at the origin of many misfortunes and culprit of many sins (is necessary it to see there a form of the myth of Eve and apple?).

Thus, quoted by Gaston Maspero in popular Tales , it of the fatal mishap of Bytaou goes from there, modest farmhand in his Anoupou brother: allured by the woman of this one, it yields to the charm of beautiful… which then does not hesitate to denounce it in Anoupou; the perfidious one will not have of cease to obtain from Anoupou the supreme punishment of poor Bytaou! But it was punished in its turn: Anoupou including/understanding, too late, that it was the toy of his wife, kills it and throws its body with the dogs.

We keep erroneous interpretation well: the not very flattering description of the woman in the Egyptian literature does not mean in only it is scorned: the Pharaon “often profits” from the same treatment by the storytellers who present it as limited and odd!

The man is invited to cherish his wife; thus Ptahhotep () is expressed it by the following maxim ( Papyrus Took ): “You must love your wife of all your heart, give pleasure in his heart as a long time as you live”.

The romanticism is present in the Egyptian literature, for example, in a papyrus of the museum of Leyde: I took to you for woman when I was an young man. I was with you. Then I conquered all the ranks, but I did not give up you. I did not make suffer your heart. Here what I did when I was young man and when I exerted all the high positions of Pharaon, Vie, Santé, Force, I did not give up you, saying on the contrary “That is with you! ” My perfumes, the cakes with clothing, I did not make them carry towards another residence. When you fell sick, I made come an officer from health which did what is necessary. When I joined Memphis, I requested a leave from Pharaon, I went to the place where you remained (its tomb) and I cried much. I will not enter another house. However, here the sisters who are in the house, I went to none elles.

Divine image

In the abundance of the divinities of the Egyptian Mythology, there exist very many goddesses, as it is also the case in Greece. To study their symbols informs us about the image which the woman with the eyes of the Egyptians of Antiquity had.

Like the Greek divinities, much are dependant between them, by blood ties or marital, such as for example Isis and his/her sister Nephtys, both respective wives of Osiris (the god of dead) and of Seth, themselves brothers.

The woman and her image are generally associated with the life and the fertility. It is the case of the goddess Isis, who is associated with several principles: as a wife of Osiris which was killed by his/her brother, it returns to the funerary rites. As a mother, it becomes female protection, but especially the matrix, that which gives the life. Through this goddess, the principles of the life and death are closely dependant. Indeed, although it is associated with the funerary rites, it should be remembered that the goal of these rites was to avoid with late undergoing one second dead in the dimension where it is, which besides explains food in abundance found in the tombs by the archeologists. In addition, the life in its physical aspect has direction only by death, because these principles belong to a movement of restarting eternal which is then in a more spiritual direction, the movement of the life, or the eternal life; one of the symbols of the goddess is besides the palm tree, symbol of the eternal life: it insufflated the breath of the eternal life to her dead husband.

The goddess is representative of at the time associated glance on the woman, because what it is necessary to keep in mind in its image, it is this idea of eternal life and maturity that Isis reflects, venerated like celestial Mère (what, with the wire of time will make of her the most important goddess of the Egyptian Mythologie, and carrying even its influence on the religion of various civilizations, where she will be identified under various name and where its worship will be spread, in particular in all the Roman Empire).

The most influential goddesses are:

Isis : goddess of the magic and the mysteries,
Hathor: feeder goddess and of the love,
Bastet: protective goddess of the hearth,
Sekhmet: wild goddess.

Influence image of the Egyptian woman

The redécouverte of Egypt by the Napoleonean company

In 1798, Bonaparte engages a campaign in Egypt, which will be a military fiasco, but of which it will return with drawings, observations of the artists and scientists that it had taken along in forwarding.

But it is into 1822 that really the way with the scientists opens, when a young scientist, Jean-François Champollion, arrive has to decipher the hiéroglyphes Pierre de Rosette, found during the Napoléonienne countryside by a French officer. Starting from Napoleonean forwarding, the world is caught passion for Egypt, and wants all to know of its history, its culture. The passion that Egypt will involve then and all that relates to Antiquity will carry a strong influence; at that time, with Paris, creation is largely inspired by the redécouvertes of Antiquity. Arts of then are entirely redirected on this way, following by all the esthetic ways this fashion then launched. Thus the vestimentary fashion was some changed, and that the woman of the Empire was identified with the Egyptian woman, but also Greek, Roman. The clothes will then be put on at the taste of the women who lived during the Antiquité: the corsets will be abandoned (only temporarily), just as the underskirts. The dress will be lighter, and will be decorated by reasons antique, for example the palm tree, one of the symbols of the goddess Isis.

The modern image of the Egyptian woman

When the Egyptian woman is evoked, the first image which comes majoritèrement to mind is that of the Cléopâtre queen, or more precisely Cléopâtre {{VII}}. Although of Greek origin, it will be it which will be associated with the image of the Egyptian woman, for many generations. That, mainly grace or because of the cinema, more precisely of American films during the golden age of Hollywood. Indeed, in the Years 1960, of many films Péplum S will be produced at that time, putting in scene the Egyptian woman such as she is dreamed in this time when it is the glamor which one seeks to show. Thus, it is in 1963 qu ' is immortalisée the queen in her image glamor, in the film Cléopâtre of Joseph L. Mankiewicz, under the features of the actress Liz Taylor. This passion for the queen is explained by the tumultuous life that she lived, made intrigues, passions (his/her two more famous lovers, César and Marc Antoine), of being able, and tragedy (she committed suicide). She concentrates then at the time a whole phantasmagoria on her; by its beauty, as a woman of being able (thus being able to be cruel), amante larger of the time, etc In short, it fascine, by its life and what it was; moreover, associated with Egypt, it releases for spectators one will have mystery, that which surrounds esoteric Egypt - that one even which also stimulated imagination with the curse of Momie S, or other secrecies of tombs. Presented thus, the Egyptian woman becomes tempting kind, attractive in a vision of it romantic.

Sign of celebrity, this Egypt dreamed was not the object that phantasms, but was also caricatured. The most known example nowadays comes us from the world of the cartoon, and more precisely of the adventures of Astérix , of famous the Goscinny and Uderzo. Playing of its image glamor set up by the cinema, the authors have fun fascination which she exerts around her, by in particular concentrating this beauty in its nose, and by exaggerating its statute of queen while making it capricious and coleric, well far from the idea of the tempting woman so often imagined.

But in a more general way, this image of the woman Egyptian, powerful, mysterious even magic, and exerting a power of seduction, is maintained nowadays, with for example the American series Stargate SG1 , or film of Luc Besson the Fifth Element (1997).

The fashion designers are also regularly inspired by the iconography of the Egyptian woman, who became an esthetic reference.

The known women (by chronological order)

Merneith, girl of Djer, wife of Djet, mother of Oudimou;

Nebesneith, wife of Houni;
Mérésânkh, second wife of Houni, mother of Snéfrou;
Hétep-Young stags {{Anger}}, wife of Snéfrou, mother of Khéops;
Mérititès {{Anger}}, wife of Khéops, mother of Kawab {{Ier}}, Baoufrê, Djédefhor and Mérésânkh {{II}};
Hénoutsen, second wife of Khéops, mother of Koufoukaf and Khéphren;
Noubet, fourth wife of Khéops, mother of Khentetenka, Djédefrê and Hétep-Young stags II}};
Khâmernebti {{Anger}}, wife of Khéphren, mother of Mykérinos;
Khâmernebti {{II}}, second wife of Khéphren then wife of Mykérinos;
Khentkaous, wife of Chepseskaf then of Ouserkaf, mother of Néferirkarê and Sahourê;

Néfrou, wife of Antef {{II}}, mother of Antef {{III}};
Iâh, wife of Antef {{III}}, mother of Montouhotep {{II}};
Tem, first royal wife of Montouhotep {{II}}, mother of Montouhotep {{III}};
Néferou, second royal wife and sister of Montouhotep {{II}};
Achaït or Ashayt, concubine of Montouhotep {{II}}, priestess of Hathor;
Imi, wife of Montouhotep {{III}}, mother of Montouhotep {{IV}};

Néféret or Nofret, wife of a priest of Thèbes, Senousret, mother of Amenemhat {{Ier}};
Néfrytatenen, principal wife of Amenemhat {{Ier}}, mother of Senousret (Sésostris {{Ier}});
Dedyet, another wife of Amenemhat {{Ier}}, perhaps his/her sister;
Néfru, woman of Sésostris {{Ier}}, mother of Amenemhat {{II}};
Itakaiet, girl or wife of Sésostris {{Ier}};
Nefru-Sobek, Nefru-Ptah, Nenseddjedet, girls of Sésostris {{Ier}};
Khnemet, girl of Amenemhat {{II}};
Néféret or Nofret, wife of Sésostris {{II}};
Weret, wife of Sésostris {{II}}, mother of Sésostris {{III}};
Sit-Hathor-Iounet, girl of Sésostris {{II}};
Méréret or Mériret or Mérit, wife of Sésostris {{III}};
Sit-Hathor, girl of Sésostris {{III}};
Néférousobek, girl of Amenemhat {{III}}, wife of her own brother Amenemhat {{IV}};

Noubhetepti, wife of Hor {{Ier}};
Sénebhénas, wife of Khendjer;
Sénebhénas & Neni, wives of Sobekhotep {{III}};
Sénebsen, wife of Néferhotep {{Ier}};
Tiin, wife of Sobekhotep {{IV}};
Ini, wife of Aÿ;
Sitmout, wife of Montouhotep {{V}};

Tati, wife of Seshi;

Mentouhotep, wife of Djehouty;

Noubkhaes, wife of Sobekemsaf {{Ier}};
Sobekemsaf, wife of Antef {{VII}};
Noubemhet, wife of Sobekemsaf {{II}};
Tétishery, girl of Tienna and Nefrou, wife of Sénakhtenrê Taâ {{Ier}};
Iâhhotep, girl of Sénakhtenrê Taâ {{Ier}}, sister and wife of Séqénenrê Taâ {{II}};
Ahmès-Néfertari, girl of Séqénenrê Taâ {{II}} and of Iâhhotep, sister and wife of Ahmosis, mother of Amenhotep {{Ier}} and Ahmès;

Meritamon, girl of Ahmosis and Ahmès-Néfertari, wife of her brother Amenhotep {{Ier}};
Ahmès, girl of Ahmosis and Ahmès-Néfertari, sister of Amenhotep {{Ier}}, wife of Thoutmôsis {{Ier}}, mother of Hatchepsout and Aménémès;
Moutnefret, secondary wife of Thoutmôsis {{Ier}}, mother of Thoutmôsis {{II}};
Hatchepsout, girl of Thoutmôsis {{Ier}} and of Ahmès, marries of his/her half-brother Thoutmôsis {{II}}, mother of Néférourê and Mérytrê-Hatchepsout;
Isis, secondary wife of Thoutmôsis {{II}}, mother of Thoutmôsis {{III}};
Moutemouia, wife of Thoutmôsis {{IV}}, mother of Amenhotep {{III}};
Tiyi, wife of Amenhotep {{III}};
Néfertiti, wife of Akhénaton;

Satrê, wife of Ramsès {{Ier}}, mother of Séthi {{Ier}};
Néfertari, wife of Ramsès {{II}};
Isetnéfret, second wife of Ramsès {{II}}, mother of Mérenptah;
Taousert, wife of Séthi {{II}};

Dynasty of Ptolémées:

Bérénice {{Anger}}, wife of Ptolémée {{Ier}} Sôter {{Ier}}, mother of Arsinoé {{II}} and of Ptolémée {{II}} Philadelphe;
Arsinoé {{Anger}}, wife of Ptolémée {{II}} Philadelphe, mother of Ptolémée {{III}} Évergète {{Ier}};
Bérénice {{II}}, girl of Magas, king de Cyrène and of Arsinoé, marries of Démétrios the Juste, brother of king de Macédoine then of Ptolémée {{III}} Évergète {{Ier}}, mother of Arsinoé {{III}} and of Ptolémée {{IV}} Philopator;
Cléopâtre {{Anger}}, wife of Ptolémée {{V}} Épiphane;
Cléopâtre {{II}}, wife of Ptolémée {{VI}} Philomètor then of Ptolémée {{VII}} Évergète {{II}};
Cléopâtre {{III}}, second wife of Ptolémée {{VII}} Évergète {{II}};
Cléopâtre {{IV}}, wife of Ptolémée {{IX}} Sôter {{II}};
Cléopâtre {{V}}, second wife of Ptolémée {{IX}} Sôter {{II}};
Bérénice {{III}}, wife of Ptolémée {{X}} Alexandre {{Ier}};
Cléopâtre {{VI}} Mithridatis, wife of Ptolémée {{XII}} Néos Dionysos;
Bérénice {{IV}}, second wife of Ptolémée {{XII}} Néos Dionysos;
Cléopâtre {{VII}}, wife of Ptolémée {{XIII}} Philopator then of Ptolémée {{XIV}} Philadelphe, César and Marc Antoine, mother of Ptolémée {{XV}} Césarion;
Cléopâtre {{VIII}}, girl of Cléopâtre {{VII}} and Marc Antoine, wife of Juba {{II}}, king of Numidie.

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